Monday, August 28, 2017

Eight Twenty Eight

I woke up too early this
morning. I tried to think of happy, pretty things to get myself back to sleep,
but worries kept buzzing like bees around the flowers in my head. So, I decided
to do something I haven’t done in far too long: mentally recite my favorite
passage from the Bible.

It begins with Romans 8:28: “For we know that in all things
God works for the good of those who love him…” and ends with Romans
8:38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither
angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future,nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else
in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of Godthat is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I finally gave up on sleep and dragged
myself out of bed for coffee. With the consciousness of day, it suddenly dawned
on me: Today is8/28. One year ago on this day, my second child almost died.

I’ve been having some PTSD-ish symptoms
for a couple of weeks now. Anxiety, depression, a sense of impending doom. Amie
has been struggling, too. Although the majority of her physical injuries have
healed miraculously well, pain remains. The physical part often heals
more rapidly than the emotional, spiritual, and biochemical. But she’s a
fighter. Always has been.

When Amie was in 8th grade,
we decided to home-school her. I’m not sure how much she learned that year, but
we managed to have some fun ‘field trips.’ The highlight for me was Scripture
Class. (Mwaahaahaa! Mama’s got you now!)
Yes, that fidgety little thing was forced to memorize scripture for homework.
Of course, it meant I had to memorize it as well. Our longest passage was
Romans 8:28-39. We made colorful flash cards and funny mnemonics to help us
remember. For example, “trouble
or hardship or persecution or famine or
nakedness or danger or sword?” in v.
35 became “the happy people found new dance shoes.” At that time, I could not have imagined what trouble and
hardship lay ahead. I’m grateful for that blissful ignorance
now. But I’m even more grateful that those life-giving words were implanted
deep within our brains and hearts.No matter what has happened, we know that we are “more than conquerors through him that loves us!” (v.37) I may feel more like a cowering coward, but I believe this deep spiritual truth. Faith
is a choice.

As I mentioned long ago somewhere on Katherine’s Mom’s Blog, Katherine got a
little jealous of her younger sister’s academic accomplishment, so she
memorized the passage, too. We all clung to it like a lifebuoy in the days
following her AVM rupture.

At her greatest point of suffering, Katherine
questioned God. “Have You made a mistake?
Wouldn’t it have better for everyone if I’d died?”

As she writes in Hope Heals,

“And then suddenly, before those
thoughts had even fully landed in my head and heart, I felt a deep awakening of
the Word of God, which I had known since I was a little girl. I could almost
hear this rapid-fire succession of the truths of Scripture, like a dispatch
from God Himself.

Katherine, you are not a mistake. I DON’T MAKE
MISTAKES.

…Trust Me. I
am working EVERYTHING for your good. Don’t doubt the truth just because you
are in this darkness now. What’s true in the light is true in the dark.” (Hope
Heals, p. 164)

This past year has been one of the hardest of my
life. It’s been hard for everyone in our family. For Amie, it’s been kind of
like Hell, with occasional day passes out. She’s experienced major victories
and serious setbacks. There have been legions of dragons and demons to slay, and the
struggle is not yet over.

I’m not really sure why Amie and I have both been secretly
dreading this day. Throughout the past month, its eminent arrival has brought
some flashbacks of horror and excruciating pain. But the GOOD that God has
worked from the brokenness is evident over all. From the wreckage has come
restoration. From near-death, new life. Blessing upon blessing for every pain.
Help in every battle. Love poured out in showers from angels on earth.

One year ago today, God
honored His word. He did work great
good even when “all things” includes a mother’s worst nightmare.

His goodness and mercy pursue
us relentlessly all the days of our lives.

***

Shortly after the realization of the
date this morning, I talked to a friend of Amie’s. She told me that they had spoken
last night and Amie seemed anxious. The friend said she shared a scripture with
her: Romans 8:28. She had no idea
that 8/28 was the date of Amie’s accident, nor of it’s significance for our
family.

Sometime after that, the card above fell
out of a book.

Katherine was the one that originally
noticed the symbolism of the date.

6 comments:

Wow, the sugnificance of the date is unbelievable in so many ways. I imagined so many time what you and Amie must have felt during those critical weeks and months and it was heart wrenching. You both went through pure hell. Your mere existence speaks volumes of your faith and character. I'm celebrating in my heart that all of the Arnold's are survivors.

Regarding Photobucket: is that the host of your blog? Or are you using another host? So sorry about this. I had a website highjacked and the images that the perps put up were horribly disturbing. I ultimately had to create a whole new website with new URL.

I admire you greatly, Kim. Would truly like to connect in person before too much time passes - sorry about the near miss last October but I know you had your hands full at that time too. I am sort of retired which should help!

Your family is so dear to me. I love Katherine, had the chance to meet her and get to know her and Jay a few years ago, and have been praying for Amie this year. I'm a mother of 5, and I dread exactly what you've had to walk through happening to my children. Please know that your testimony to God's faithfulness, as well as your own faithfulness to him, is deeply encouraging and inspiring. Praying for all of you today as you mark one year. What a difficult road you have had to walk, I'm so sorry for your suffering and anxiousness. Lord wrap your daughters and your love and peace today. - Ashley Livingston

Sending prayers for you and your family. I happened across your story in a roundabout way via Instagram and Hope Heals. The courage and faith that you, Katherine, and Aimee demonstrate are blessed examples of steadfast faith. Thank you for sharing your stories. (Sidenote: you can remove the photo bucket annoyance yourself by going into your layout page and removing that widget.Hope this helps. It worked for me on blogger.)